Crime In Love Line

Chapter 19

"So uh...he...confessed his feelings, and then now...he was...courting me..."

I bit the inside of my cheeks when Liam choked on the siomai he was eating. He coughed multiple times before banging his hands on the table, like he was celebrating or something.

"I told you!" He was happy like he won a lottery. "Ipinapakita na ni Jiro sa'yo na gusto ka niya. Manhid ka lang!"

"Hey! Don't put the blame on me! I'm not manhid," I rolled my eyes on Liam. "I'm just careful, okay?"

"Hah! Basta ang mahalaga, may progress na sainyo...yieee!" Mukhang tangang pang-aasar ni Liam.

"And...you're not against us?" I played with my nails. Humigop siya sa soy sauce ng siomai bago sumagot.

"Bakit naman ako tututol? Masayang masaya ako na masaya kayo." He went on his serious voice. "Yun nga lang, kapag nagkasakitan kayo...ako ang tatakbuhan ninyo! Isipin mo, ha... bestfriend ako ni Jiro tapos kapatid mo'ko. Magiging bente quatro oras ako! Walang kinikilingan, walang pinoprotektakan. Serbisyong totoo lamang-"

"Ok fine!" I massaged the bridge of my nose because Liam was so noisy. "Gosh, so madaldal,"

The next day was just a typical one. I went outside and sat on our terrace's bench and get myself something to read.

"Tao po! Tao po kayo?"

My eyes widened when I heard Kevin's voice outside our gate. He was back! Balita ko kasi ay nag vacation sila sa Korea.

"Kevin!" I opened the gate and gave Kevin a warm hug. "How's Korea?"

"Ayon, nakatayo pa rin...teka, bakit ka nangangamusta ng bansa?"

I smiled dahil hindi pa rin siya nagbabago. His sense of stupidity remained the same. Hinatak ko siya papasok ng bahay at nagkuwentuhan naman muna sila ni Liam.

"Balita ko, sa Canada na kayo mag-aaral?" Kevin asked. We prepared him some ice tea. Naka-upo kaming tatlo ngayon dito sa terrace.

"Oo...wala na kasing dahilan para mag-stay pa dito." Liam answered. "Maraming dahilan para umalis. Ewan ko ba, gusto 'kong takbuhan lahat ng problema dito. Kaya masaya ako na aalis kami. Hindi ko lang alam kung ganoon din ba si April."

I bit my lower lip before smiling at them. Humigop na lang ako sa ice tea ko dahil hindi ko alam kung ano ang isasagot.

"Nasabi mo na ba kay Jiro?" Kevin asked.

I shook my head and smiled again. "I don't know how..."

"Bakit naman? Natatakot ka ba?"

"I just...can't find the right words to say..." I smiled. "And I'm not yet ready to hurt myself."

Besides, matagal pa naman ang pag-alis namin. I could take my time to prepare myself.

----

"Uh...guys, have you seen someone sneaking a flowers on my desk?"

Nakakunot ang noo ko nang may madatnan na bouquet of roses na nakapatong sa desk ko. I checked the card but there's no any letter, or kahit clue man lang. Maybe Jiro? But no...these are roses! He would always go for the simple one.

"Kadarating ko lang! Out ako diyan!" Jeremy answered.

"You have a lot of secret admirers, L.A." Tumawa si Clarissa.

"Baka si Daryl? Hindi ba, crush ka 'non?" Sabi naman ni Ruby. "Crush ko 'yon sa ICT, e. Pero sige...ipinapaubaya ko na siya sa'yo..."

Ruby was right. I have a gut feel that Daryl sneaked roses on my desk because I remembered him saying that he would try to prove himself to me. Should I confront him? I just don't want him to live on false hopes.